Toronto, ON – On June 20th, 2024, Alexia Cito, Director of the Love Peace Harmony Foundation, attended the “Uniting for Change: Celebrating the Strength and Resilience of Refugees on World Refugee Day” event, representing the foundation to share messages of solidarity and support. This significant gathering brought together over 250 refugees and asylum seekers, along with refugee-led and serving organizations, to mark World Refugee Day.
Organized by Hope for Refugees International (HRI) in collaboration with dedicated partners including the 519, FCJ Refugee Centre, Toronto People Living with AIDS Foundation (PWA), The Neighborhood Group Community Services (TNG), FIFE House, Africans in Partnership Against AIDS (APAA), African Descent Ontario, and Love Peace Harmony Foundation, the event was held at PWA, aiming to honor the strength, courage, and resilience of refugees in Canada and globally, with a special focus on the unique challenges faced by refugees within Canada.
Canada has a long-standing tradition of providing refuge to those fleeing conflict and persecution. However, the journey for many refugees does not end upon arrival. The challenges faced by refugees in Canada are significant and multifaceted. Many refugees struggle to find emergency shelters and affordable housing, often encountering racial discrimination in the process, which leaves them vulnerable and without stable living conditions. Additionally, refugees, particularly Black African LGBTQ+ refugees, face numerous obstacles in accessing essential healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health services, mental health support, and HIV/AIDS care due to discrimination and a lack of culturally sensitive and tailored services unique to their needs. Economic challenges are also rampant among refugees, with unemployment, underemployment, and poverty being prevalent.
Systemic barriers such as racism and lack of essential information prevent refugees from accessing employment opportunities and achieving economic stability. Furthermore, discrimination, homophobia, and hate speech are pervasive, even within refugee and immigrant communities. Conservative cultural beliefs and religious values can exacerbate these issues, leading to ostracism and isolation for LGBTQ+ refugees.
The event featured speeches from policymakers, politicians, and service providers, including Love Peace Harmony Foundation’s director Alexia Cito, all of whom shared their messages of solidarity with refugees, reflecting on their work and commitment to refugee issues. Refugees shared their inspirational stories of survival, courage, and resilience, celebrating their achievements and discussing the challenges they face.
Black African refugees showcased their talents in painting, spoken word, rap, singing, dancing, drumming, and gymnastics, celebrating their creativity and skills. Organizations serving refugees exhibited and showcased their services, providing an opportunity for refugees to interact with service providers and better understand the resources available to them.
Hope for Refugees International urges all Canadians to join in commemorating World Refugee Day and to advocate for policies and practices that support refugees in Canada. Refugees need our solidarity now more than ever. Solidarity means keeping our doors open, celebrating their diversity, strengths, and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face.
Safe spaces for dialogue, sharing, learning, peer-to-peer support, and community building are essential. Refugee-led grassroots organizations play a vital role in reaching our community and providing necessary resources and support. Collaborative efforts between refugee-serving organizations and policymakers, involving refugees in decision-making processes, are crucial to addressing their unique needs and vulnerabilities.
Let us challenge the status quo and stand for a world where all refugees, regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation, are treated with dignity and respect. Together, we can build a future where every individual can live authentically and thrive.